The first Black man to receive the National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, Walter Mosley maintains a prolific career as a novelist and screenwriter. Born in Los Angeles in 1952, he began his professional writing path at age 34, following earlier roles in computer programming and a formative period living in New York.
Formative Years and Influences
Raised as an only child in Los Angeles, Mosley attended the Victory Baptist day school before graduating from Alexander Hamilton High School in 1970. His mother, Ella, introduced him to European classics, while his father, Leroy, served as a primary source of narrative inspiration. Following a period of travel across Europe and time in Santa Cruz, he earned a political science degree from Johnson State College after attending Goddard College. During his tenure at Mobil Oil, he enrolled in a writing course at the City College of New York, where Edna O'Brien served as a mentor.
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Mosley is primarily identified with his historical crime fiction series featuring detective Easy Rawlins, a character established in his debut, Devil in a Blue Dress. The 1995 film adaptation of this novel, starring Denzel Washington, increased his public profile. His body of work extends across forty books, encompassing afrofuturist science fiction, political nonfiction, and children's literature. In 1997, he famously bypassed standard publishing advances to release Gone Fishin' through the independent Black Classic Press.
Professional Recognition and Disputes
His contributions to letters have been acknowledged with numerous honors, including the CWA New Blood Dagger, the Langston Hughes Medal, and the 2023 Cartier Diamond Dagger. Beyond prose, he has worked in television, including a stint on the series Star Trek: Discovery. In 2019, he departed that writers' room following a disagreement regarding the use of a racial slur during a narrative account of his own experiences. He continues to live and work in New York City, holding membership in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Fast facts
- Born: 1952, Los Angeles
- Citizenship: United States
- Education: Alexander Hamilton High School, Johnson State College, City College of New York
- First Book: Devil in a Blue Dress
- Notable Recognition: National Book Foundation Medal (2020)
- Religion: Judaism
Questions readers ask
How many languages has his work been translated into?
His literary works have been translated into 21 languages.
Did he win a Grammy Award?
Yes, he received the Grammy Award for Best Album Notes in 2001 for Richard Pryor's ...And It's Deep Too!
Achievements
- Educated at City College of New York and Johnson State College
- Worked as film producer, novelist and writer
